At age 20, Shingo was deeply moved by the spectacular scenery of Yosemite, which sparked his passion for the outdoors. Drawing on both his background in mechanical engineering and his love of outdoor life, he joined a bicycle parts manufacturer after university, then went on to design tools for making better coffee outdoors. In 2016, he founded the outdoor gear brand MUNIEQ. Around the same time, he began running, which gradually led him into trail running and more frequent time in the mountains. He has participated in HLC Hokkaido since its first year, moving seamlessly between trail running and hiking in the snow-free seasons, and enjoying snowboarding in winter.

At age 20, Shingo visited Yosemite and was deeply moved by its landscapes, sparking his lifelong passion for the outdoors. After studying mechanical engineering, he worked for a bicycle parts manufacturer before founding the outdoor gear brand MUNIEQ in 2016. Around the same time he began running, which gradually led him to trail running and frequent mountain trips. Since the first year of HLC Hokkaido, he has been an active participant in the program.

Born in 1977 in Saitama Prefecture and now based in Takizawa, Iwate, Koji previously worked in fitness club management and was transferred around Japan. After experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake, he became acutely aware of the importance of food, left the corporate world, relocated, and shifted into farming. His encounter with the Michinoku Coastal Trail led him to HLC Tohoku, where he met fellow community members and soon found himself going to the mountains almost every week. Immersed in hiking, he came to feel strongly that he wanted to share that excitement with more people. Today, he works to share the freedom, connection to nature, and bonds with others that he discovered through ultralight hiking.

An outdoor shop in Shiwa, Iwate, surrounded by rich fields such as Hachimantai, Mt. Iwate, and the Kitakami Highlands. The store carries gear for hiking, trail running, and backcountry activities. The name “Knotty” comes from the knot in a rope, and true to that spirit, regulars are always dropping by — making it a real knot in the Tohoku outdoor community. Owner and founding HLC Tohoku ambassador Ueno, together with his wife Akiko, often head out with customers for running, snowboarding, and other activities even outside shop hours.

Tomoyuki began climbing after being deeply affected by an experience on Mt. Nasu with a friend when he was 20. He encountered ultralight culture through the Yamatomichi Sacoche, and around the same time became fascinated by MYOG, discovering the pleasure of going into the mountains with gear he had made himself. After leaving a camera manufacturer, he joined the staff at LUNETTES. In addition to hiking, he is also passionate about fly fishing and telemark skiing.

A select shop in Nasushiobara, Tochigi, that deals in both clothing and mountain gear. At first glance, it appears to be two separate stores, but they are connected inside. LUNETTES proposes clothing that can lift your mood and become a trigger for discovering a different side of yourself, while next door is Yama no Dougu-ya, an outdoor shop built around the concept of ultralight hiking. The store’s shape grew naturally out of Kuroiso’s environment, where mountains, rivers, and ski fields are all close at hand. Owner Takeshi Mito and staff member Tomoyuki Meguriya — also the HLC North Kanto ambassador — know the Nasu field intimately, so if you’re hiking, skiing, or fly fishing in the area, be sure to stop by.

Originally from Osaka, Oji moved to Kamakura in 2017. After working as a book planner and editor for an art publisher, he became independent. He now wears many hats, including Yamatomichi Kamakura staff, company representative, editor, farmer, and hunter, treating what others might call “work” as an extension of his own life’s pursuits. He encountered Tomoya Tsuchiya’s book Ultralight Hiking in 2011 and has practiced an ultralight style of mountain walking ever since, integrating it into his lifestyle and continuing to enjoy the mountains and nature through it.

Hidenori grew up in rural Hokkaido. After working for five years as a physical therapist in an orthopedic clinic, he became a mountain hut caretaker in the Northern Alps. In 2019, wanting to fully immerse himself in nature, he and his wife walked New Zealand’s long trail Te Araroa. Moving repeatedly between towns and nature while living a simple cycle of walking, eating, and sleeping for four months led him to discover the hiking style that suited him best — and drew him deeply into ultralight hiking. He continues to study ultralight hiking culture as a way of reducing stress on both the body and the environment, so he can remain an active hiker into old age.

A flagship store in Zaimokuza, Kamakura, opened in 2022 in a renovated former Yamatomichi Lab. Staffed by experienced Yamatomichi hikers with deep knowledge of both the products and hiking, the store offers not only product fitting but also advice on packing, layering, and lightening your gear. With both mountains and sea just a short walk away, it is also a place where you can feel nature close at hand.

In his early twenties, Riku became immersed in mountains and the outdoors after being casually invited to try trail running by a colleague. In 2017, during a journey hiking around Japan, he met the Yamatomichi team in Hokkaido on an HLC tour and was deeply inspired by ultralight culture and its community. After finishing the journey, he helped launch THE GATE and THE GATE MOUNTAIN, where he now shares the appeal of the mountains as a shop staff member. Centered on the fields of Fukui and Hokuriku, he enjoys hiking and trail running in spring, summer, and autumn, and telemark skiing in winter.

A specialty store focused on mountain activities such as hiking and trail running, operated in collaboration with Fukui-based outdoor select shop THE GATE. As a gateway into the mountains, it supports not only beginners getting started but also intermediate and advanced hikers looking to take the next step. In addition to selling gear, the store actively runs community spaces and field programs. Store manager Yamamoto, who also serves as HLC Hokuriku ambassador, works closely with the local community while helping shape a mountain culture rooted in Fukui and Hokuriku.

Wandering with a camera in hand, Yuji became fascinated by the cultures and lifeways of mountain peoples in Tibet, the Karakoram, and Ladakh, as well as the overwhelming landscapes they inhabit. While running an apparel company connected to handcrafts from across Asia and the Middle East, he opened Mountain Gear Taninokisha in April 2020. Making full use of his mobility, he loves dashing through fields in ultralight style and camping out with a glass of hard liquor in hand. His nickname is “Kinnikun.”

A mountain gear shop in Tanimachi, Osaka, specializing in ultralight hiking and fastpacking. Through its large glass entrance, you can see a magnificent camphor tree, giving the shop a fresh atmosphere despite its urban setting. Carefully selected ultralight items line the store, attracting everyone from beginners to veterans. Owner Nakagawa, who also serves as HLC Kansai ambassador, knows the mountains of Kansai — including Rokko, Hira, and the Kii range — in depth, and can share routes well-suited to ultralight hiking and fastpacking.

Opened in April 2023 in Gojo, Kyoto, as a direct Yamatomichi store. In addition to carrying the Yamatomichi lineup, the shop hosts events, stocks hiking-related books, and includes a bottle shop selling craft beer. It aims to serve as a place for learning about hiking and for connection among hikers. Staffed by a colorful team of Yamatomichi employees, it is also a place where you can ask for advice on nearby hiking routes and gear.

Tetsu runs T-mountain, a mountain gear shop at the foot of Matsuyama Castle in Shikoku. He loves all forms of mountain movement — walking, running, climbing, and sliding — and has explored not only Japan’s major ranges but also mountains overseas since his twenties. In recent years, he has felt increasingly drawn to the satoyama and nearby everyday mountains closely tied to his own life. Through his work and play, he continues to share the richness of Shikoku’s nature with the world. Mountains, rivers, and sea — he loves them all, and lately he’s especially into bikerafting.

An outdoor shop at the foot of Matsuyama Castle, the symbol of Matsuyama in Ehime, and the only retailer of Yamatomichi products in Shikoku. The store offers a rich lineup of gear specialized for hiking, trail running, and many other activities, making it irresistible to mountain and outdoor lovers. Owner Kanno — also HLC Shikoku ambassador — combines deep experience in Japan and overseas with an approachable personality, which has helped build a loyal following since the shop opened. As an Ehime local through and through, he’s also the perfect person to ask about enjoying the mountains of the region.

After studying Western mountaineering techniques at the Yamnuska Mountain Skills Semester in Canada, John returned to Taiwan and founded Miasan Outdoor Center. He teaches hiking and snow mountaineering, manages mountain huts, and has spent more than 20 years learning ways of living closer to nature from the Bunun people of Taiwan. He also has deep knowledge of permaculture and satoyama life.

Samplus is a specialty hiking gear store produced by Taipei select shop COW Records, and also serves as Yamatomichi’s base in Taiwan with a wide range of Yamatomichi products. In addition to running events, the store actively shares hiking information about Taiwan and also supports hikers with permit applications. It aims to become a bridge connecting hikers in Taiwan with Japan and the wider world.